'Harry Potter' Director Calls Reunion "Impossible", JK Rowling Snaps Back

In 2001, unknown child actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint became household names when they played Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. They became overnight superstars, and their popularity only grew as seven more movies were released, with the last movie — Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 — coming out in 2011.

Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint, along with the talented people they worked alongside, became so much more than coworkers, or maybe even friends. They considered themselves to be family, going through an experience that no one else would ever understand.

Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Professor Sprout — Credit: Warner Bros. Promotional Image

Much like Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, J.K. Rowling was an unknown writer when she published the first Harry Potter novel, and she and the young actors embraced the spotlight together. It was well-known that they all had a close relationship, and it was clear that the kids were grateful for the opportunities Rowling and her Harry Potter books had given them.

Sadly, in recent years, their relationships have fallen apart, and the actors have not spoken to Rowling in years. She has spoken about them in very negative terms, after all three came out against Rowling’s extreme transphobia.

Because of all the tension, Harry Potter director Chris Columbus has said that a reunion will never happen.

J.K. Rowling — Credit: Potter McFly, Flickr

Chris Columbus directed Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), so he really set the tone for what all subsequent films would be. And in the decades since their release, he has maintained a close relationship with many of the actors, so he is well-aware of the tension between them and Rowling.

In a recent interview with The Times U.K., Columbus said that, because of this tension, a Harry Potter reunion is impossible.

“It’s never going to happen. It’s gotten so complicated with all the political stuff. Everyone in the cast has their own opinion, which is different from her opinion, which makes it impossible.”

He also revealed that he has not spoken to Rowling in more than a decade, and he finds her anti-trans beliefs “sad.”

“I haven’t spoken to Miss Rowling in a decade or so, so I have no idea what’s going on with her, but I keep very close contact with Daniel Radcliffe and I just spoke to him a few days ago. I still have a great relationship with all the kids in the cast.”

JK Rowling on the red carpet at Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Credit: Universal Studios

Not long after the interview came out, Rowling sent out a very long tweet, where she once again defended her staunch beliefs and called Columbus out, without using his name. She also said that he was “miserable” because he was not involved with HBO Max’s Harry Potter reboot, which is currently filming in the U.K.

As another man who once worked with me declares himself saddened by my beliefs on gender and sex, I thought it might be useful to compile a list for handy reference. Which of the following do you imagine makes actors and directors who aren’t involved with the HBO reboot of Harry Potter so miserable?

In a comment, she also referred to him as a “weak man.”

Nothing upsets a weak man more than a woman who makes him feel his cowardice. This is as true of supposed iconoclasts who live in terror of losing the approval of the in-crowd as it is of domestic abusers.

As another man who once worked with me declares himself saddened by my beliefs on gender and sex, I thought it might be useful to compile a list for handy reference. Which of the following do you imagine makes actors and directors who aren’t involved with the HBO reboot of Harry…

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 1, 2025

However, it does not appear that Columbus is upset that he is not involved in the HBO Max reboot. When asked about the new series, which will take a deeper dive into the books and last for ten seasons, he said that it doesn’t make sense.

“I’m anxious to see what they do. But from what I’ve seen already they’re basically doing the same thing we did, only [because they have eight episodes] they get to do more of it.”

“You have to understand that when Richard Harris passed away and Michael Gambon took over as Dumbledore that transition, even back then, was difficult for me. So now it’s difficult imagining anyone else in these roles. I still see Alan Rickman, and I still see Maggie Smith and Robbie Coltrane. It’s part of my DNA and I can’t get beyond it.”

The elderly person with light skin and blue eyes, resembling Maggie Smith, is wearing a large black hat and a dark, patterned cloak. They hold a golden object and adorn a large teardrop-shaped pendant. The background suggests an indoor setting with dim lighting. — Credit: Video Screenshot, ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’, Warner Bros.

Rowling serves as an executive producer on the new series, and HBO has defended its decision against immense fan backlash. The new series is expected to premiere in early 2027 and stars Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley.

Would you love to see a Harry Potter reunion? Do you think the film’s original stars and creators should get together and celebrate the magic of Harry Potter without J.K. Rowling? Are you excited about the new series and to see new actors take on some of film’s most iconic characters? Share all your thoughts on Harry Potter with us in the comments!